Corps of Discovery II Road Trip Days 13 and 14

Kootenai Falls on the Kootenai River in Montana

Yesterday started out to be another great day, but ended badly.  Let me tell you why.

Yesterday, we left West Glacier, Montana on a beautiful morning and headed west on U.S. Route 2, also called "The High Line."  Route 2 is a wonderful 2-lane road through the mountains and valleys winding along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River for many miles.  It goes through Kalispell and several other small towns as it winds west. Kalispell is a nice looking city, which I would someday like to return to explore.  The road then turns north.  When we finally entered Idaho, we were only a few miles from the Canadian border. Nothing but pure beauty the entire way.  Mother Nature is magnificent, isn't she?

During our traverse on Route 2, we encountered two really cool places. We stopped and walked down the quarter mile path to Kootenai Falls.  Thousands of gallons of turbulent, rushing, dangerous mountain water falling over and around rock faces on the Kootenai River.  Fabulous!  What power!  What danger!  Magnificent.  Unfortunately, my images don't do it justice.  I made the images as I normally would, really working a scene, but after looking at them, the viewer (you) really can't get a good idea of how powerful the water was moving down the river.  I tried.  Sometimes you just can't convey the sense of a place well.

The other attraction located very close by is the "Swinging Bridge."  This is a cable bridge, with a capacity of 5 individuals, that spans the Kootenai River.  If you have never been on a rope (or cable) bridge which swings and moves as you walk over a rushing, dangerous river, it is a thrill!

The Columbia River Valley from the Washington State Side

After entering Idaho, the road turned south. As we drove south we enjoyed the Idaho scenery, every bit as nice as Montana.  We spotted several mule deer and whitetail deer during the day.  Our original destination was Coeur D'Alene, but we arrived so early in the day, we decided to eventually drive on to Spokane, Washington.

In Coeur D'Alene we ate a mid-afternoon snack at The Coeur D'Alene Resort. It is a fabulous resort and it appears to be a wonderful place on a beautiful lake to take a relaxing vacation.

We then drove over to Spokane and checked into our hotel. In downtown Spokane we had probably the bet meal we had to date at the Steam Plant.  I highly recommend it.

Late in the evening, one of the four of us got some very bad news in the guise of a family emergency. He had to fly home early this morning.  The three of us are keeping him and his family in our prayers and hope he can rejoin us on the trip back east.  He wanted us to proceed with the journey and we will.

John Day Dam on the Columbia River

Today, we left Spokane and drove south and west to the confluence of the Columbia and Snake Rivers, and rejoined the Lewis and Clark route.  We then traveled along the Columbia River, first on the Washington side of the river, then, because we needed to eat and there was no place to eat in Washington, on the Oregon side.  I cannot convey the beauty of the Columbia River valley.  It is one of the most enjoyable drives that I have made.

We left the Columbia as we wanted to see Mt. Hood up close. Unfortunately, heavy clouds obscured the top of the mountain and we were not able to clearly see the entire icon.  But, I had seen it before on a nice sunny day, so I just brought back those memories.  My travel companions, however, were not able to envision the peak as I did.

We have now checked into our hotel in the Portland area.  It was time to wash clothes as I brought two weeks worth.  The manager of the hotel puts on a reception in the evening and we enjoyed some hors d'oeurves while my clothes were washing.

Tomorrow we land on the beach of the Pacific Ocean and visit Ft. Clatsop.  Finally!  The Pacific is in sight!

Today was a good day, but with a sense of solemness for our friend who is not with us today.

Thanks for looking.

Dennis Mook

Many of my images can be found at www.dennismook.com.  Please pay it a visit.  I add new images regularly.  Thank you.


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